I'm a chef who shops at Trader Joe's. Here are 15 things I pick up every week for my family of 3.

Fatima KhawajaApr 18, 2024, 21:19 IST

Trader Joe's has some of my favorite grocery-store products. Fatima Khawaja

As a private chef and mom of a 3-year-old living in New York City, I love shopping at Trader Joe's.
Jasmine rice, harrisa, butter, and bone broth are some of the stables I pick up every week.

I'm a professional private chef. But that doesn't mean I eat fancy meals at home every night, especially not with a 3-year-old.

As a working mom in New York City, I'm pretty much the target audience for Trader Joe's easy snacks, ingredients, and meals, and I usually shop there once a week.

Here are some of the staples in my shopping cart.

I'm always stocking up on jasmine rice.

Trader Joe's stocks big bags of jasmine rice. Fatima Khawaja

Harissa is great for adding flavor to meals.

Trader Joe's has a pretty good harissa. Fatima Khawaja

I love Trader Joe's gluten-free pasta.

The pasta is made from brown rice and quinoa. Fatima Khawaja

The dark-chocolate-covered pretzels are just for me.

I hoard the chocolate-covered pretzels in my house. Fatima Khawaja

Tofu is a staple in my shopping cart.

Tofu is a very affordable protein option. Fatima Khawaja

I stock my freezer with edamame for a quick snack.

Trader Joe's frozen, shelled edamame comes pre-salted. Fatima Khawaja

Trader Joe's hash browns are hard to beat.

Trader Joe's has some of the best frozen hash browns. Fatima Khawaja

Tortillas are a great carb option for weekly meals.

Trader Joe's has tortillas made with both corn and flour. Fatima Khawaja

Green beans are a crowd favorite in my house.

Trader Joe's green bean bags are the perfect size for a small family. Fatima Khawaja

Trader Joe's has some of the most convenient avocados.

I like buying avocados at Trader Joe's. Fatima Khawaja

Lemons are multipurpose in my kitchen.

I can easily go through a big bag of lemons in a week. Fatima Khawaja

I hate running out of butter, so I always stock up.

I mainly use butter for toast and baking. Fatima Khawaja

Yes, even chefs eat bagged salad kits.

I love how easy and tasty the salad kits at Trader Joe's are. Fatima Khawaja

Trader Joe's is one of the only grocery stores where I'll buy ground beef.

There's a nice percentage of fat in Trader Joe's organic ground beef.Fatima Khawaja

I always have a variety of broth options in my pantry.

Bone broth is super versatile.Fatima Khawaja

I spent $70 ordering groceries on Getir, the ultra-fast delivery app. The service was super speedy, but it wasn't perfect.

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